Carbonating apparatus



Feb. 10,. 1925- 1,525,674

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R. J. THOMAS CARBONATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1922 Feb.' 10, 192:- 1,525,674

R. J. THOMAS cARBoNATING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1922 s sheets-sheet s Patented Feb. l0, 1925.

UNITED STATES RICHARD J'. THOMAS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

GARBONATING- APPARATUS.

Application led April 17, 1922. Serial No. 553,577.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, RICHARD J. THOMAS,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new paratus and more especially to an apparatus of this character for carbonating Water for soft drinks and other liquid refreshments,

and has for its-object to provide a device of this character which will be simple in construction, comp-aratively inexpensive to manufacture and more eiiicient in Y-use than those which have been proposed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in which the CO2 gas may be intimately and thoroughly vmixed with the water in a more eiicient manner than has been heretofore possible. e

A further object of the invention is to provide a carbonating apparatus which will be entirely automatic in its operation, means being provided for automatically cutting off the Water supply when a predetermined amount of carbonated water has accumulated within the apparatus, thereby preventing the flooding of the same with its attendant undesirable results.

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction Vdescribed and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,207,061, granted to George H. Maas on December 5, 1916, and entitled Carbonator and the like.

-With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View of an appara-tus made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the horizontal shelves or baiile plates shown in Fig. 1, together with its associated comb members;

Fig. '3 is a fragmentary sectional View partly in elevation of the parts shown/in F1g. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the disk member for supporting the interior shells and their associated parts, shown in 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal lsectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1, lookin down;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. l, looking down;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 5 and 6, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig 1, looking down;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional vi'ew taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1, looking down;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1,*looking down, a portion of the parts bein broken away for the sake of clearness; and

Fig. 10' is an elevational view partly broken away and partly in section of the water inlet valve and its controlling parts.

Referring to the drawings, 11 indicates a base or supporting member preferably circular in form provided with a centrally disposed hollow cone 12, to the upper portion of which may be rigidly secured7 the concentric vertically disposed tubes 13 and 14, as will be clear from Fig. 1. The said vtubes 13 and 14 are of such dimensions as to provide an annular space 15 therebetween, which space communicates at the bottom with the passage 16 formed withinthe cone 12 and base 11 and communicating by means of a connection 17 with any suitable source of supply of CO2 or other suitable gas not shown. The said' connection 17 may be provided with a spring-controlled valve 1S adapted to control the pressure of the gas which is fed through the passages 16 and 15 to the apparatus.

The base 11 is also provided with a downwardly depending boss 19 in axial alinement with the cone member 12, which boss is bored to receive the threaded washer meinber 2() as well as the cap member 21, as

will be clear from Figs. l and 10. The said .110 sage 25 having aV spring-controlled check. valve 26 (see Fig.k 9) and leading fiomak `tube 14 above described. The said rod or valve stem is of such dimensions as to provide an annular space 31 between the walls of the said tube 14 and the surface of the said stein 30 throughr which water from the supply pipe 27 may pass to be brought into contact with the CO2 gas, as wi-ll presently appear.

Mounted upon the base 11 is a suitable casing or shell 32 which preferably takes the form of a hollow sheet metal cylinder closed at its up-per end. The tube or pipe 13 is threaded as at 33 to engage and support a. disk 34 upon which is mounted an inner casing 35 substantially as shown in Fig. 1. Surrounding the said casing 35 are a plurality of annular shelvesor trays 36, the lowermost of which rests upon flange 37 with which the supporting disk 34 is provided, while the remaining trays 36 are suitably supported and spaced apart by means of the annular spacing rings 38, as will be clear from the drawings. The said annular trays 36 are provided with a plurality of perforations 40 preferably arranged in circular lines concentric wit-h the opening in the said trays, which perforations are adapted to receive and be partially filled by the teeth 41 ofthe annular comblike member 42 (see Figs. 2 and 3). 'A

Also mounted upon the supporting disk 34 Within the casing 35 and concentric therewith is a tubular member 45 of sheet metal or other suitable construction which acts as a support for the spaced horizontally disposed plates 46. The said plates 46 are perforated and provided with comb members 47 having teeth 48 projecting through the said perforations inv a manner similar to the outer annular trays 36 just described.

The tubular member 45 rests upon the lugs 50 (see Figure 4) with whichthe supporting disk 34 is provided, which lugs serve to not only space the side walls of the said member 45 from the walls of the shell 35 to form an annular passage 51, butthe said lugs also maintain the major portions of the lower edge 52 of the said member 45 out of contact with the surface of the supporting member 34, thereby providing communication between the interior of the tubular member 45 and the annular passage 51 formed on the outside thereof.

Secured to the upper end of the pipe or tube 13 in any suitable manner is a cup or receptacle 53 open at the to 'as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, and li ewise rigidly secured to the upper end of the tube 14 is a hollow cylindrical member 54, the walls of venience.

which extend downwardly to surround and engage the walls of the tube 13 somewhat below its upper end. The side walls of the said member 54 are provided with perforations 55 near the bottom thereof, thereby affording communication between the chamber 56, formed within the said member 54, and the interior of the cup member 53, as will be readily apparent.

The upper end of the tubular member 45 is closed by a disk or plate 57 and the upper end of the shell 35 is o-pen as is indicated at 58 (see Fig. 1), whereby communication may be had between the annular passage 51 and the annular chamber 60 formed between the said shell 35 and the outer casing 32.

In apparatus of this general type it is desirable to automatically control the incoming water in order to prevent the iiooding of the device with its result-ing incon- The water after it has been carbonated may be withdrawn continuously or intermittently as desired and in the case of the intermittent withdrawal it sometimes happens that the discharge opening is cut off forsucli a period-of time as to cause an excess of carbonated water to accumulate within the device.

In order to provide such an automatic control in the presen-t instance I have provided a lioat which preferably takes the form of a hollow ring surrounding the centrally disposed tubes 13 and 14 and adapted to slide vertically with respect thereto. The said float member is provided with a yoke 66 extending substantially diametrically thereof and having at its outer ends the sockets 67, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 10, adapted to receive the enlarged ends 68 of the vertically extending rods 69. The upper ends of the said rods are likewise enlarged as at 70 and fit into recesses 71 formed in the ends of the pair of levers 72, which levers are pivotally connected, as at 73, to lugs 7.4 integral with the top cap member (see Figs.v 1, 5 and 10). The said levers 7.2 are also connected by means of a pin-and-slot connection 76 with the upper end of the valve Astem 30, whereby they may be caused to actuate the said valve' stem as will presently appear.

The carbonated water which has collected in the lower portion of the chamber 60 may be withdrawn therefrom either continuously or intermittently as desired through the outlet pipe or duct 80, leading through the base member 11 into the bottom of the said chamber. l

The operation of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing, but it may be briefly summarized as follows:

The parts ,being' in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, the valve 24 will be unseated and water from the supply pipe -27 will pass through the inlet passage -25 around the check valvel 26 and i 'stem 30 into the annular *passage 31 until Vtliechamber 56 Jwithinthe .member 54, 4from which chamber it will escape through theopenings 55 into the interior of the said...

it reaches the top of the sai passage, whereupon it will flow over `the top surface of the member 54 and down its sides into l'the interior of the cup of receptacle 53. f

Carbonio acid gas being n'ow admitted from any suitable source of. supply to the connection 1f? will/ pass'the -valve 18 and iow 'through the passages. 16 and 15 into cup 'member 53. This latter member havmg) been vvfilled with water the said gas will bu ble 4up therethrough and the said water will become impregnated therewith.

As was inted out in the said prior Pat- 'ent No. 1, 07,061, it is desirable in order to accomplish a thorough impregnationof the into comparatively small drops or particles. Thls desirable result is attained in the present invention by permitting the Water and its entrained gas to iow over the 'top of the walls of the vessel or receptacle 53 down onto the topmost Vplate member 46, from which the said water will. then nd its way in com -aratively-small'drops through the partly lled perforations 40 in the said plate 46 and. will pass down on the surface of the teeth 48 of the .comb `members'47, ldripping therefrom onto the next lowerplate 46, as

- will be readily apparent. This dripping.

action continu finally Ireach t e upper surface o f the supporting disk 34 whereupo'nfthe said water.)

will pass beneath the lower edge 520i the tubular member 45 aldjinto the annular space 51.l When vthe said space 51 hashecome lledthe said water will pass over the top 'of the walls ofthe shell '-35 `as at the point 58 onto the uppermostralmular `plate member 36whereupon the drippin action above described in connection with t e-platesl `46 will be repeated. The water is lthus broken up into a large number of gelatively small dro or partlcles, thereby resultin in a comp ete saturation ofthe. water wit the CO2 gas. The carbonated water as it leaves the lowermost plate'36 drops into the lower por# tion vof the chamber 60, from whence-it may aV suitable controlling valve, not shown.

If the withdrawal of the'carbonated water lirom the chamber 60 is continuous the valve 24 controlling the inflow of water .will reuntil the water and gas as it overfiows therefrom and ating' action will be carried on continue ously. On the other hand if the withdrawal will accumulate within the lower portion of j vthe lchamber 60 until it' reaches a level which causes the float member to rise. u ward movement of the iioat .member 65 will be transmitted through the rods 69 to the pivoted levers 72, which levers will in turn cause the upward movement of the valve stem 30, thereby causing thev valve 24 to seat against the washer member 20'an cut off the flow of incoming water.

It will be noted that' the Sockets 67 which receive the enlarged ends 68 of the rods 69 'rovide for -a certain amount of lost motion tween the float ,65 andthe said rods 69.

The

This lost motion permits the said` oat to -rise and 'fall a predetermined' amount before operating the water controlling valve 24 s0 that in case .the withdrawal of the carbonated water is interrupted for `only a relatively short period of time the carbone ating process will not'be stopped. water'wi-th the gas to break up the water It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a. relatively simple tand efficient mechanism for securing a complete saturation of the water with `the CO2 gas, while at the same time making provision to prevent flooding thereof.

It is obvious that those skilled in the `art may vary the details of construction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing ffrom the spirit of the invention .and ntherefore it is not wished to be limited `for the vautomatic control of the apparatus to the abovedisclosure except asma-y be re- `quired by the claims.

What vis claimed is: `1. In a. device of the class described the combination with a. casing of a liquid pas-A sage within said casing; an elevated recep- -liquid from said passage; a second passage adapted to' discharge gas directly into said receptacle means below said receptacle for receiving said liquid therefrom by gravity and dividing the same into relatively small particles to assist in causing it to absorb said gas; and `means for withdrawing the saturated .liquid fromjsaid casing.

2. In a deviceof he class described the combination with a casingof a Iliquid pas-v "sage within said casing; an elevated .open

topped receptacle within said casing adapt- =tacle within said casing adapted to receive l ed to be filled with liquid from saidpas;

.sage;'a second passage adapted to discharge be withdrawn as desired throughvthe out--v 'let passage 8 0 which may be' providedwith gas directly into said receptacle; means below said receptacle for receivin theliquid ividing the..

drawal of said saturated liquid for controlling the admission of fresh liquid to said receptacle. p v

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a casing of a liquid passage within said casing; an open topped receptacle supported adjacent the top of said casing adapted to receive liquid( from said passage; a second passage adapted to discharge gas directly into the liquid within said receptacle; means comprising a plurality of perforated plates and comb members having teeth projecting through said perforations for dividing the liquid into relatively small particles to assist in causing it to absorb said gas; means for withdrawing the saturated liquid from said casing; and 'means controlled by the withdrawal of said saturated liquid for controlling the admission of freshliquid to said receptacle.

4. -In a device of the class described the combination with a supporting base and a casing of a liquid conducting tube secured to said base; a gas conducting tube also secured to said base and surrounding said liquid tube; a valve in said liquid-tube provided with a valve stem extending through said tube; a float within said casing, the position of which is controlledl by the level of the saturated liquid therein; connections between said float and said valve stem; a receptacle supported by one of said tubes adapted to receive liquid and gas therefrom; a plurality of perforated plates adapted to receive the commingled liquid and gas from said receptacle and to cause said liquid to be divided into relatively fine particles whereby it may be caused to more thoroughly absorb said gas; and means for withdrawing the mixed liquid from said casing.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with a supporting base and a casing of a liquid conducting tube secured to said base; a gas conducting tube also se-y cured to said base and surrounding said liquid tube; a vah'e in said liquid tube provided witha valve stem extending through said tube; aiioat within said casing, the position of which is controlled by the level of `the saturated liquid therein; connections between said fioat and said valve stem providing Aa predetermined amount of lost motion therebetween; a receptacle supported by one of said tubes adapted to receive liquid and gas therefrom; a plurality of perforated plates adapted to receive the commingled liquid and gas from said receptacle and to cause said liquid to be divided into relatively ine particles whereby it may be caused to more thoroughly absorb said gas; and means for withdrawing the mixed liquid and gas from said casing.

6. In a device of the class described the combination with a supporting base and a casing, of a liquid conducting tube rigidly secured axially of said base; a gas conducting tube rigidly secured to said base concentric with said liquid tube; a reciprocat ing valve adapted to control the passage of liquid through said liquid tube, said valve belng provided with a stem extending axially through said tube; afloat within said casing controlled by the level of the saturated liquid therein; connections [between said float and .said valve stem; a receptacle carried by said gas tube adapted to receive liquid and gas from said tubes and to cause a partial absorption of the latter by the former; means for dividing said liquid into relatively fine particles to assist in causing it to absorb said gas; and means for withdrawing the liquid and its absorbed gas from said casing.

7. In a device of the class described the combination with a supporting base and a casing, of a liquid conduct-ing tube rigidly secured axially of said base; a gas conducting tube rigidly secured to said base concentric with said liquid tube; a reciprocating valve adapted to control the passage of liquid through said liquid tube, said valve beln'g provided with a stem extending axially through said tube; an annular float within said casing concentric with said tubes, controlled by the level of the saturated liquid therein; connections between said float and said valve stem; a receptacle carried by Said gas tube adapted to receive liquid and gas from said tubes and to cause a partial absorption of the latter by the former; means comprising a` plurality of perforated plates, and comb members having teeth extending through said perforations for dividing said liquld into relatively fine particles tol assist in causing it to absorb said gas; and-means for withdrawing the liquid and its absorbed gas from said casing. f In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature. f

RICHARD J. THOMAS. f 

